Exercise in COPD

Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary rehabilitation is the main way it is delivered.

COPD causes breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance and a downward spiral of inactivity and deconditioning. Pulmonary rehabilitation, a structured programme of supervised exercise and education, improves exercise capacity, breathlessness and quality of life.

A familiar, proportionate degree of breathlessness on exertion is expected, and the way out of the breathlessness cycle is to become gradually more active, not less. New, sudden or disproportionate breathlessness is assessed.